Star Wars Rebels: A Jedi's Vengeance
by SpecSeven
Summary: Filled in some detail on "The Protector of Concord Dawn". It's just the way I would have liked it to play out. Kanan is way too calm about Hera nearly dying. Didn't want to rehash the whole ep, but may add to it at some point.
1. Chapter 1

Kanan Jarrus stood on the bridge of the command ship _Liberator_ , staring out into the infinite sweep of stars before him. The distress call had come in just minutes ago from Hera's Concord Dawn mission team. He reached into the Force, trying to calm his anxiety. Attempts to contact the team had been futile.

A fighter suddenly emerged from hyperspace. "Sabine? What happened?" Kanan demanded. "We picked up a distress call. Where's Hera?"

"She was right behind me," Sabine answered, sounding panicked. "Kanan, we didn't have a chance! These Mandalorians work for the Empire, too."

Just then, another ship jumped out of hyperspace. Hera's ship. But it was on fire, smoking, spinning out of control. Kanan punched the comm button, yelling, "Hera! Hera, can you hear me?"

He heard Sabine gasp. "I see her! I see her, Kanan! It's bad. You've got to hurry. Please hurry!"

Kanan stomach clenched painfully at the thought of losing Hera. In all the time they had been together, there had been too many close calls to count...but nothing like this. He was not ready to let her go. He closed his eyes, and he could picture her scowling at him. He could imagine what she'd say. But he wasn't ready, and if he was going to save her, he knew he had to push his feelings aside and focus his mind on that single task.

He raced to the airlock with Ezra, Zeb and Chopper close on his heels. Because the damage to her ship was too significant to enable docking at one of the docking rings, the rescue team had tethered her A-wing to the command ship with tow cables. Kanan could see Hera slumped over in the cockpit of the smoldering ship.

"That ship is going to blow," he said grimly, jaw clenched. They had, at most, minutes to rescue her. He glanced at Ezra, who looked terrified. "We'll get her out. Be ready to release the tow cables as soon as she's clear of the ship."

The rescue crew, having never seen Jedi in action, acknowledged this command with silent nods and no small degree of awe. Kanan nodded at Ezra, and Ezra nodded in return, his fear giving way to determination. They extended their right hands, eyes closed. Kanan saw the locking mechanism on the cockpit hatch in his mind, and he released it. He felt Hera in the Force, and knew she was alive, if barely. That knowledge gave him a surge of strength, and he could feel that Ezra had sensed her, too. Working together, they tugged her free of the smoking ship, her nearly lifeless body floating towards the shield. They pulled her through, and Kanan caught her in his arms. Cradling her broken body against his, he stared with wide eyes at the wounds on her face, unable to speak. The medical droids sped over to assist her as the rescue team released the damaged A-wing from the tow cables, notifying the bridge to move out of range. Three minutes later, the Liberator's hull shook with the explosion of the severely damaged ship. But Hera, miraculously still alive, was already safely in the med bay.


	2. Chapter 2

Kanan stood resolutely near Hera's bed as the medical droids worked over her, keeping a close eye on everything they did. He had refused to leave her side, finally threatening to use his lightsaber to dismantle the next droid that asked him to do so. He was left alone after that. He watched her beloved face emerge from the blood and soot, trying to stay calm, trying to take comfort in the fact that she was alive. Finally, her wounds were clean and dressed.

"I have almost stabilized Captain Syndulla," The medical droid announced.

"Will she live?" Kanan demanded, not knowing if he truly wanted to hear the answer.

"At this juncture, that is unclear."

Kanan slumped into a chair next to her bed and gathered her right hand in both of his.

"Sir, there are sentients waiting outside to learn of Captain Syndulla's condition. Should I send them in?" the droid questioned.

"Let me have a few minutes alone with her, will you?" Kanan growled. The droid turned away to attend to the other machines that were caring for Hera. He watched her chest rising and falling with each precious breath she took, replaying the last conversation they'd had in his mind.

 _Kanan leaned against the wall, arms folded, watching Hera prep for the mission. "Come back to me in one piece, Hera."_

 _She looked up from the diagnostics she was running on her A-wing, giving him a wry smile. "I always do, don't I? Don't worry, Kanan. If these Mandalorians aren't under the Empire's thumb yet, I think I can get them to hear me out."_

 _"_ _What if they are under the Empire's thumb? We can't be absolutely sure of that."_

 _She frowned. "I trust Sabine. And if there's even a small possibility that we can convince them to become our allies, and we can secure that route to Lothal, I have to try," she said, with that typical determination he loved so much. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Anyway, aren't you the one who suggested diplomacy in the first place?"_

 _"_ _It's better than going in there with blasters firing," Kanan replied. "But I feel like we may be rushing into this mission. Mandalorians have a reputation for a reason."_

 _She moved towards him, green eyes glowing. "These are the risks we take, love. These are the risks we've always taken together." She curled her right arm around his waist and leaned into him, her head on his chest._

 _He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, settling himself against the familiar, comforting curves of her body. "The risks we used to take are nothing compared to what we're facing now. And, now, we have the kids to worry about, too. If this mission goes bad, we could lose both you and Sabine."_

 _Hera lifted her head from his chest, but didn't look at him. She nodded slowly. "It's not any easier for me to watch you leave, you know. I know what's out there, hunting you and Ezra. We're a family, and we're risking our lives. But we're risking our lives for each other, and for all the beings in the Galaxy. And that makes the risk of losing each other worth taking. It doesn't mean that we can't have hope that we'll see each other again, though."_

 _Now she looked up at him, eyes alight. He was amazed to find that, after all this time, staring into her eyes could still make him feel lightheaded. Her gaze was moved over his face, as if she was trying to memorize it, and finally_ _settled on his lips. "It's been awhile…" she murmured, reaching up to pull his head down to hers._

 _Their lips met, and the kiss was was gentle and sweet, at first. But then Hera's mouth opened against his, and she slid her arms around his neck tightly. He responded immediately, his own arms crushing her body against his, lifting her off her feet. For a moment, he imagined that they were just the Kanan and Hera who fell in love on the Ghost, instead of a Rebel captain and a Jedi. And in that moment he felt, as he always did when he was in Hera's arms, that he was in the one place where he was truly meant to be. But then Hera's comlink crackled, and she broke the kiss, and the spell of their more carefree days along with it. Kanan released her reluctantly._

 _"_ _Hera, are you ready to go?" Sabine's disembodied voice asked._

 _"_ _I'm ready," Hera answered, a little breathless and flushed, but otherwise right back to business. "Let's do this."_

 _She flashed Kanan a brilliant smile as she slid into the cockpit of her ship._

Kanan sat at her bedside and closed his eyes, trying to etch that smile permanently in his memory. He restlessly traced patterns on the back of her hand with his fingers. Holding her hand was a luxury he seldom got to enjoy, especially as of late, and hot anger suddenly flared within him at the thought of that rare luxury being taken away forever from him by the Mandalorians.

We need allies. We need that route.

Kanan glanced up, startled, at the sound of Hera's voice, but her face remained impassive, eyes and lips closed. He was exhausted, probably just imagining things. He closed his eyes again, leaning over to press his forehead against the back of her hand. He had to get it together. Something had to be done, but what? He had seen the rage burning in Sabine's eyes- the same rage he felt in his own heart when he looked at Hera now.

Oh, you think you're going to go in there and single-handedly kill all of those Mandalorians, Kanan? What happened to diplomacy? They'd just kill you, too, and we'll all be worse off than we are right now. If you need revenge, then get it by making them our allies. Get it by securing that route to Lothal. I'm willing to give my life to stop the Empire; don't waste my efforts.

He was hearing her voice; he'd been listening her voice for years, and he knew exactly what she would say to him now. She would never have approved of him seeking revenge on Concord Dawn for her sake. He also knew that, no matter how he felt about her current state and the people who had caused it, the survival of the Rebellion was much more important.

The medical droid overseeing Hera's care turned towards Kanan, who looked up at the whirring noise of the droid's wheels. "Good news, sir. I have managed to stabilize Captain Syndulla's vital signs. It is very probable that she will live."

Kanan let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Avenging Hera would be an empty victory. Completing her mission, on the other hand…

"Let my crew in to see Captain Syndulla," Kanan told the droid.


	3. Chapter 3

"Fenn Rau. The Protector of Concord Dawn," Sabine said in a low, steely voice as she walked into the debriefing with Commander Sato. "That's who did this. That's who we're up against."

Fenn Rau. The name triggered something in Kanan's memory, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Rex, does that name sound familiar to you?" he asked.

"It sure does," Rex answered. "Fenn Rau was a fighter pilot instructor for the Grand Army of the Republic. He also served-"

"At the Battle of Mygeeto," Kanan finished, suddenly remembering the endless blaster fire of that day. "I know. I was there."

The Third Battle of Mygeeto, where Fenn Rau and his squadron had saved young Caleb Dume's life, and the life of his Master, Depa Billaba.

In a second, Kanan's plan was fully formed. He could not seek revenge on a man to whom he owed his life, but he could complete Hera's mission. He would complete Hera's mission, regardless of what he had to do to make that happen. And he would start by thanking Fenn Rau for his life, and offering him a life outside of the Empire's control in return.

He made Commander Sato and Sabine believe that he needed to seek revenge on the Mandalorians of Concord Dawn- alone. He told them that he was unwilling to risk any more lives on this mission which, technically, was absolutely true. Nearly losing Hera was enough for one day. He would not risk the lives of any more of his crew- his family- despite Hera's opinion of the worthiness of that risk.

Sabine's furious glare, when he told her that she would not be accompanying him, was all the confirmation he needed to know that the had to go to Concord Dawn alone. Sabine's rage and guilt over Hera made her dangerous, and she was out for blood. And spilled blood was the very thing he and Hera had been trying to avoid. Diplomacy had to prevail.

He ignored the protests of Sabine, Ezra and Zeb, telling them in no uncertain terms that he would only be taking the one member of the crew who had not complained about not being included.

"Come ON, Chopper," he growled at the grumbling astromech, turning his back on his crew.


	4. Chapter 4

"I hear we're taking prisoners now," Hera said, as Kanan and Sabine walked into the med bay. Kanan had never heard sweeter words in any language.

He grinned at her. "I like to think of it more as a...reluctant recruit."

Sabine walked over to her beside. "It was better than the alternative," she said. "We're not at war with the Protectors. There was no need to take their lives if we didn't have to."

"Hmm. Sabine, you're sounding more like a Jedi than a Mandalorian." Hera's hoarse voice was full of pride.

"Well, I guess I've just been raised right."

Hera's eyes found Kanan's, and her smile said more than words ever could have.

Sabine stayed for a few minutes, filling Hera in on what had happened on Concord Dawn. Eventually, though, Hera's eyelids started to droop.

The medical droid rolled up. "Captain Syndulla needs her rest. Visiting hours are over."

Sabine nodded. She gave Hera's hand a squeeze and left.

Kanan walked over to the bed and took her hand. "I'll be here first thing in the morning, okay?"

Hera's eyes opened. "No, Kanan, stay for a little while. Please."

"You need your rest."

"Please stay," she whispered.

"Sir," the droid said, "she really should-"

"I know she really should," Kanan cut the droid off. "But she wants me to stay. So if _you_ want your head to stay on your neck, you'll drop it."

The droid made a vague hissing noise. "Impossible man," it grumbled, turning away.

He made a face at the droid's retreating back, and then glanced down at Hera, expecting her to have fallen asleep. Instead, her lips were twisted in amusement.

"It hurts to laugh," she said. "So I'd appreciate it if you could stop being an impossible man for awhile, love."

"That's a tall order. Glad to see that your sense of humor isn't damaged, though." The smile faded from his face. "I thought I lost you for awhile there, you know."

"I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."

He shrugged. "What's done is done. I'm just glad you're okay. And there was no way Sabine could have known. She's impulsive, but she would never do anything to hurt any of us. She was devastated about what happened, Hera."

"I don't blame her for anything," Hera said. "I'm just happy you're both okay. It was a good idea to take her with you."

Kanan figured that there was no point in mentioning the fact that Sabine had ignored orders and stowed away on the _Phantom_. "Yeah. It was. It's almost as good as you having my back."

She smiled. "I'll always have your back, Kanan. And I know that you'll always have mine. Ezra told me that you two rescued me from my ship before it exploded. I guess I owe you one."

He laughed. "You owe me a lot more than just one. But I'm sure we can work out some kind of exchange, once you're back in fighting form." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"It doesn't hurt to roll my eyes," she said, demonstrating. "And we're definitely even, when it comes to who owes who what."

"Well, if you promise to make a full recovery, I promise to make it worth your while..."

"I'm going to sleep now, impossible man," she said. She looked exhausted.

He leaned over her and kissed her gently. "I'm very glad you're still here, Hera."

"Me too," she mumbled, as she drifted off.

He watched her sleep for awhile before letting the med droid kick him out.


End file.
